Kobo Arc 10HD

The Kobo Arc 10HD currently has an Informr score of 8 out of 10.
This score is based on our evaluation of 8
sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

Android

Operating system

Operating system

Android

1.8 GHz

Processor

Processor

1.8 GHz

10.1"

Screen Size

Screen Size

10.1"

Yes

Camera

Camera

Yes

6550 mAh

Battery

What the Critics Are Saying...

The Arc 10HD is a successful first outing for Kobo in the world of HD+ tablets. It's user-friendly and pretty much always gets the job done. Its greatest weakness is its battery life, which is a shame since everything else about it makes you want to use the 10HD for hours on end.

- Axel Mendy, Digital Versus

The Kobo Arc 10HD is well-equipped and ideally suited to those who like to read, but is let down by its ergonomics.

- Recombu Editorial Team, Recombu

This is a high-end tablet that is competitively priced. It stylish, powerful and cheaper than the iPad Air.The addition of a micro-HDMI out port is a welcome bit of extra connectivity that marks the Kobo Arc 10HD out from other high-end tablets.But the real star of the show is the highly impressive...

- Jay McGregor, TechRadar

Taken in isolation, the Kobo Arc 10HD isn't unappealing. The design is inoffensive, the customised interface is one of the best Android resprays we've seen, and there's plenty of power lurking behind the off-colour screen. Yet, compared to the lightweight Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9in and the impecca...

- Barry Collins, PC Pro

The Kobo Arc 10HD is a sexy tablet that offers a lot for its price tag. Kobo's bloatware is unobtrusive and the fact it gives you full access to the Google Play store is a massive plus. The only real downside to the Kobo Arc 10HD is the weight of the thing, which makes using this device as a eReader...

Critic Reviews

It's user-friendly and pretty much always gets the job done

The Arc 10HD is a successful first outing for Kobo in the world of HD+ tablets. It's user-friendly and pretty much always gets the job done. Its greatest weakness is its battery life, which is a shame since everything else about it makes you want to use the 10HD for hours on end.

The Arc 10HD is a successful first outing for Kobo in the world of HD+ tablets. It's user-friendly and pretty much always gets the job done. Its greatest weakness is its battery life, which is a shame since everything else about it makes you want to use the 10HD for hours on end.

Great high-res screen, good value

The Kobo Arc 10HD is a very good tablet. It's certainly not the best -- it's a little heavy compared to the competition, its edges make it uncomfortable to hold for long periods and its relative lack of storage may prove an issue for some. That said, it has an amazing screen, is fast and responsi...More

The Kobo Arc 10HD is a very good tablet. It's certainly not the best -- it's a little heavy compared to the competition, its edges make it uncomfortable to hold for long periods and its relative lack of storage may prove an issue for some. That said, it has an amazing screen, is fast and responsive and is a good option for anyone looking for an affordable, content-oriented tablet.

This is a high-end tablet that is competitively priced. It stylish, powerful and cheaper than the iPad Air.

The addition of a micro-HDMI out port is a welcome bit of extra connectivity that marks the Kobo Arc 10HD out from other high-end tablets.

But the real star of the show is the highly impressive 2,500 x 1,600 screen.

The Wi-Fi and weight issues are drawbacks, but they don't mar the overall experience. The Wi-Fi glitch hopefully can be fixed with a software update. And while a smaller tablet would work better as a standalone reader, the Arc 10HD offers enough as a tablet to justify its size.

Lumpen design and an off-colour display leave the Kobo Arc 10HD trailing the best tablets

Taken in isolation, the Kobo Arc 10HD isn't unappealing. The design is inoffensive, the customised interface is one of the best Android resprays we've seen, and there's plenty of power lurking behind the off-colour screen. Yet, compared to the lightweight Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9in and the impe...More

Taken in isolation, the Kobo Arc 10HD isn't unappealing. The design is inoffensive, the customised interface is one of the best Android resprays we've seen, and there's plenty of power lurking behind the off-colour screen. Yet, compared to the lightweight Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9in and the impeccable iPad Air, there's no good reason to consider the Kobo – unless it benefits from a sizeable price cut.

A handsome 10-inch Android tablet that could be just what you're looking for

The Kobo Arc 10HD is a sexy tablet that offers a lot for its price tag. Kobo's bloatware is unobtrusive and the fact it gives you full access to the Google Play store is a massive plus. The only real downside to the Kobo Arc 10HD is the weight of the thing, which makes using this device as a eReader while on the move a bit of a no go.

The Kobo Arc 10HD is a sexy tablet that offers a lot for its price tag. Kobo's bloatware is unobtrusive and the fact it gives you full access to the Google Play store is a massive plus. The only real downside to the Kobo Arc 10HD is the weight of the thing, which makes using this device as a eReader while on the move a bit of a no go.

A premium and pricey tablet that tries to please everyone

There’s no doubt that the Kobo Arc 10HD is a lovely piece of kit – it’s solid, has a distinct feel and a great screen. But there’s no getting away from the price – $400 is a lot of money for an Android tablet, especially when it could be a little lighter, could have...More

There’s no doubt that the Kobo Arc 10HD is a lovely piece of kit – it’s solid, has a distinct feel and a great screen. But there’s no getting away from the price – $400 is a lot of money for an Android tablet, especially when it could be a little lighter, could have a battery that promises a longer life and could have a rear-facing camera.

Best-value 10in Android tablet around

Thanks to its built-in support for Kobo's content store, the Arc 10HD is a rival for Amazon's tablets, but it's so much less customised than the Kindle Fire range that it's also a rival for standard Android tablets. In fact, we'd go so far as to say that the 10HD's biggest rivals are the Sony Xpe...More

Thanks to its built-in support for Kobo's content store, the Arc 10HD is a rival for Amazon's tablets, but it's so much less customised than the Kindle Fire range that it's also a rival for standard Android tablets. In fact, we'd go so far as to say that the 10HD's biggest rivals are the Sony Xperia Tablet Z and Google’s own Nexus 10 tablet. The former has a waterproof design, but costs £100 more than the 10HD and has a lower-resolution display. The Nexus 10 matches the Kobo in terms of resolution, but is now over a year old and can’t compete for performance. Simply put, there’s no cheaper 10in tablet that can rival the Arc 10HD for display resolution or performance.

The large screen display makes e-reading an unbridled pleasure

Many international markets do not have a ton of options when it comes to buying a large screen device that is geared towards reading. Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Kobo are the only three that market an e-reading-centric experience. Kobo is likely the best if you live outside of the US and UK, you get a bunch of power and no limitations on what you can buy. Amazon has a bit of a deeper ecosystem with magazines, newspapers, audiobooks and video, but limits the purchasing of it...

Many international markets do not have a ton of options when it comes to buying a large screen device that is geared towards reading. Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Kobo are the only three that market an e-reading-centric experience. Kobo is likely the best if you live outside of the US and UK, you get a bunch of power and no limitations on what you can buy. Amazon has a bit of a deeper ecosystem with magazines, newspapers, audiobooks and video, but limits the purchasing of it.

In the end, is this tablet worth the money you spend on it? The answer is yes. The large screen display makes e-reading an unbridled pleasure. If you are looking for a new device, you would be hard-pressed to find anything better.

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